In Part 1, I argued that Twitter 1.0 is about supercharging operating performance. That’s what I expect to happen in the 6 months. And it looks to me like Elon is making big changes in the Digital Operating Basics. Specifically, DOB1, DOB2, DOB5, DOB6, and DOB7. See Part 1 for details. I do like that this […]
Category Archives: Platform Types: Audience Builders
Audience Builder Platforms Are Really Powerful. So Why is Baidu Selling iQiyi? (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
I’ve talked a lot about why KOLs and influencers are so important in a connected world. Live streaming and short video are currently the big focus of influencers, but this is a much larger phenomenon. So why is Baidu is selling iQiyi, China’s #2 video streaming platform? Consumers Are Networks It begins with this simple […]
My B2C Super Chart for “Ecommerce + Entertainment + KOLs / Influencers + Social Media” (US-Asia Tech Strategy)
I have one B2C “super chart”. It’s a bit ridiculous but stick with me. I think it is actually a good prediction of the future of B2C. The basic idea is that ecommerce is combining with entertainment. We see that in Taobao Live and TikTok already. And this is also being combined with social media […]
How I Underestimated the Growth of Bilibili (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
I first went through the financials of Bilibili in 2018, shortly after it went public. It was a very interesting company because of its rapidly growing usage. But I thought it was basically a weird niche version of YouTube. It had lots of quirky videos about anime, comics and gaming. It had pioneered bullet chat. […]
Baidu is Struggling in Content Creation, Push Feeds and the Attention Market (Pt 2 of 3) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
In Part 1, I laid out some basic theory for Baidu and search engines. I think it was a pretty solid picture for Baidu circa 2010. But strange things have been happening since then. Baidu has moved into entertainment, services (for a while), content creation and self-driving cars. I’m not sure if these were strategic […]
Could iQiyi (IQ) Quickly Become a Great Business? (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
Baidu-controlled iQiyi (IQ) is one of the big leaders in video in China. And video is the most popular online activity in China’s massive market. That’s good. iQiyi also has powerful competitive advantages, similar to YouTube and Netflix combined. Overall, there is a lot to like about this company strategically. Its primary competitors Tudou and […]
Is Roblox Going to Be the Next TikTok? Plus the Kuaishou IPO. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 68)
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the potential of Roblox to become the next TikTok, and the upcoming IPO of Kuaishou. He argues that both companies are part of a new wave of audience-builder platforms that are changing the way people consume media.
4 Strategy Lessons from the Spectacular Rise of Sea / Shopee / Garena (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
Singapore-based Sea Limited, which runs Garena, Shopee and AirPay, is one of the biggest tech investment stories of 2020. In the first quarter of 2020, the company was trading in the $40 price range. It is now around $180, with a market capitalization approaching $100B. It has been a rocketship for investors this year. But […]
Can Shopee / Garena Beat Lazada? Tencent vs. Alibaba In SE Asia. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 29)
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses whether Shopee, backed by Tencent, can beat Lazada, backed by Alibaba, in the Southeast Asian e-commerce market. He considers factors such as market share, investment, and strategy. For example, Shopee has a larger market share in Indonesia, while Lazada has a larger market share in Thailand.
Covid-19 Drives Live Streaming. But Private Traffic Pools Are the Solution. (Daily Lesson – Jeff’s Asia Tech Class)
Much of our discussion about digital platforms (Alibaba, Tencent, etc.) has been about their business models. And all their strengths, which are formidable. But I haven’t talked much about the experiences of the user groups on these platforms. What does this mean for merchants and brands selling on Alibaba? For restaurants on Meituan? For content […]